(This letter was also addressed to council members and the city manager.)

I am writing to express my shock and dismay about your recent decisions regarding our downtown. I have lived in Laguna for a long time, and I have an abiding and deep love for this town, its people and its character.

I learned recently that for some set of reasons which are not easily understood, that you have removed several beautiful big trees on Ocean Avenue, and that in fact you might be planning to take out other really important trees in our downtown.

I can’t honestly believe it. I actually thought that it was some kind of huge misunderstanding. I thought that no one who loved Laguna as I do would, for a second, think about removing trees that have been here for 60 years, that give Laguna her character, and which represent so much about the Laguna that we love.

No offense intended, but have you lost your minds? As a community, we should protect and value our landscape, not destroy it. You can’t replace the trees you have removed. But you can make sure it never happens again.